Thursday, 10 March 2016

The Ass And Its Shadow

by Aesop

     Once upon a time, there was [a traveller]. He always travelled to different parts of the country. One day, the traveller decided to hire an ass so that he did not have to walk on the journey.
     Thus the traveller hired an ass to carry him and his baggage to a distant part of the country. The owner of the Ass went with the traveller. He was walking beside him to direct the Ass and point out the way.
     On the way, they travelled across a treeless plain where the Sun was unbearably hot.. The heat was so intense that the traveller decided to stop for a rest. They could not find any shady place to sit down. Thus the traveller sat in the shadow of the Ass.
     The owner of the Ass also felt the heat as much. He was also very tired as he had been walking all the time. He also wished to take a rest in the shade which *was cast by the Ass. He began to argue with the traveller. He said that he had hired the Ass, not the shadow that it cast.
     They quarreled loudly and angrily. Soon they were fighting with each other. When the Ass saw this, it took to its heels and ran off as fast as he could.

"In quarreling about the shadow we often lose the substance."

Words & Phrases

1. once upon a time

2. travel travelling travelled travelled

3. traveller

4. differ different

5. art part parts

6. count try country

7. different parts of (the country)

8. decide deciding decided decided

9. hire hiring hired hired

10. on the journey

11. baggage

12. the distant part of the country

13. own owner

14. the owner of the Ass

15. a treeless plain

16. bear able bearable unbearable

17. unbearably hot

18. in ten tense intense

19. a shady place

20. the shadow

21. take a rest

22. argue arguing argued argued

The Ass And Its Shadow

Answer all the Wh-questions in full.

1. Why did [the traveller] hire an ass?

___________________________________________________

2. What could [an ass] do for the traveller?

___________________________________________________

3. Why did [the owner of the Ass] go along with them?

___________________________________________________

4. Why did the traveller decide to take a break?

___________________________________________________

5. Why was the owner of the Ass tired?

___________________________________________________

6. Why did the traveller argue with the traveller?

___________________________________________________

7. What happened when they were fighting?

___________________________________________________

The Ass And Its Shadow

by Aesop Original version

A Traveler had hired an Ass to carry him to a distant part of the country. The owner of the Ass went with the Traveler, walking beside him to drive the Ass and point out the way.
The road led across a treeless plain where the Sun beat down fiercely. So intense did the heat become, that the Traveler at last decided to stop for a rest, and as there was no other shade to be found, the Traveler sat down in the shadow of the Ass.
Now the heat had affected the Driver as much as it had the Traveler, and even more, for he had been walking. Wishing also to rest in the shade cast by the Ass, he began to quarrel with the Traveler, saying he had hired the Ass and not the shadow it cast.
The two soon came to blows, and while they were fighting, the Ass took to its heels.

In quarreling about the shadow we often lose the substance.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Chapter III

Everybody was ___________ (1. drip) wet, cross and uncomfortable. Thus, their first concern ________ (2.) how to get dry. Alice found herself ___________ (3. talk) to the party like an old friend. She even had a long (4. argue) with the Lori. At last, the Mouse took the ________________ (5. authority) lead and told them a very long tale hoping that would help them but without __________(6).

Then Dodo suggested to go for a Caucus-Race to get dry. Everybody thought ________ (7.) a good idea. When they ____________ (8. run) in a circle for half an hour and everybody became quite dry already. When they asked who had won the race, the Dodo __________ (9. lose) for words. But finally, he said, “Everybody has won and must have prizes.”

Again, there was a chorus of voices ____________ (10. ask) who was to give the prizes. The Dodo just pointed ________ (11.) Alice and the whole party crowded around her and asked her in chorus for prizes. Alice, ________ (12.) despair, put her hand in her pocket and took out a box of comfits _________ (13.) was not wet at all. Thus she gave each one.

Then the Mouse suggested that Alice should have a prize herself as _________ (14). The Dodo agreed to the suggestion ______________ (15. grave). Thus he asked Alice what she had in her pocket. She had a thimble. The Dodo asked her to hand over to him and the whole party again crowded __________ (16.) her. They cheered when the Dodo presented the thimble to Alice. Alice thought everything so absurd and would like _____________ (17. laugh) so much but she tried to look as serious as she could. She, not ___________ (18. know) what to say just bowed and took the thimble.

After that, everybody ate comfits. They ________ (19.) too small for the large birds and too big for the small birds. Hence there were some noises and confusion. After eating, the whole party asked the Mouse to continue the tale. Alice also asked him _________ (20. soft) about his history and why he hated cats and dogs.

The Mouse replied it to be a long and sad tale. Alice’s mind _____________ (21. wander) off as she had mistaken “tale as tail” and this had offended the Mouse. She said the Mouse had got to the fifth bend. The Mouse replied, “He had not!” Again, Alice _______________ (22. mistake) the word “not as knot” and she told the Mouse she could undo the knot.

At this instant, the Mouse was too angry to endure anymore. He left hastily _________ (23.) the plead of everybody. Alice wished that Dinah __________ (24.) there so that she could get the Mouse back easily. Then the Lori asked Alice who Dina __________ (25.).

Alice told them eagerly about her pet cat, Dinah. She ____________ (26. so enchant) with her description that she not only told them how nice Dinah was and how well her cat could catch mice and birds as well.

___________ (27. hear) that, one by one left and she was alone there _____________ (28. wonder) why nobody liked Dinah.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Chapter III

Answer all the Wh-questions in full.

1. Why was everybody dripping wet?

2. Why did the Mouse tell a tale?

3. What was a Caucus-Race?

4. a) What did everybody get at the end of the race?

b) Why did Alice think it absurd?

5. After prize-giving ceremony, what did everybody do?

6. Did they enjoy the comfits? Why?

7. Why did the Mouse leave the group in anger?

8. a) Why did the birds leave Alice one by one?

b) Did Alice know the reason?

c) How do you know?

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Chapter II

Alice had grown into 9 feet tall after _________ (1. take) that piece of cake. Again she thought nonsense and talked nonsense about her feet. She felt desperate when she could not get ________ (2.) that small door with a passage _________ (3. lead) to a beautiful garden. ________ (4.) the thought of this, she wept bitterly. She _________ (5. shed) so much tears that she created a pool of tears.

Just as she felt so upset and desperate, the White Rabbit came ________ (6.) sight again. This time, he ________ (7.) splendidly dressed. He carried a pair of kid gloves ________ (8.) one hand and a large fan in another. He did not know that Alice ___________ (9. stand) nearby.

The White Rabbit muttered, “Oh! The Duchess! The Duchess! Oh! ”

` Won't she be savage if I've kept her waiting!'

Alice felt so desperate that she would ask anyone _________ (10.) help. Thus she tried to speak in low, timid voice to the White Rabbit. He _____________ (11. utterly startle) to see a giant Alice ___________ (12. stand) there. Violently, he dropped the gloves and the fan as he scurried away as fast as ___________(13.).

Alice took up the gloves and the fan. The hall ____________ (14. become) hot and she started ___________ (15. fan) herself and thought nonsense and talked nonsense again.

Suddenly, she realised that she ___________ (16. wear) the kid gloves She ______________ (17. shrink) again. When she found out that it was the fan that ___________(18. cause) it. She quickly threw it away _________ (19.) fear that she might shrink altogether and disappear _________ (20.total).

She __________ (21.) not sure if she had changed into someone else. While she was busy ____________ (22. think) nonsense and talking nonsense, she slipped and __________ (23. fall) into a pool of her tears.

She felt helpless and desperate. When a mouse _______________ (24. swim) near, she was desperate to ask for help though she was not sure how ____________ (25. speak) to a mouse. She tried her best to begin the talk. She talked to the Mouse in different languages ________ (26.) first. Then she talked about her pet cat, Dinah. She described Dinah __________ (27.) a nice and lovely thing to love and pamper. She sat ___________ (28. pur) so nicely by the fire, licking her paws and washing her face. When Alice told the Mouse how well she could catch mice, the Mouse ______________ (29. bristle) all over.

Alice noticed the displeasure of the Mouse and she quickly changed the topic. Then she talked about her neighbour dog, a bright-_________(30. eye) terrier. She described it to be a clever and useful dog. It also could catch mice very well. When the Mouse heard that, he swam away as fast as it _________ (30).

Again, Alice realised that she _________ (31. offend) the Mouse. She apologised and begged the mouse to come back. The Mouse swam back. By then, the pool __________ (32. crowd) with other animals. Alice and the mouse decided to swim ashore and the Mouse promised to tell Alice the reasons why he hated cats and dogs and his history. The whole party followed Alice to go ashore.

The Ass And His Driver

The Ass And His Driver (Adapted)

by Aesop

Description: An illustration for the story The Ass And His Driver by the author Aesop

     Once upon a time, there was a farmer. He kept an ass to carry his baggage wherever he went. One day, the farmer was walking beside his ass along a road to town. The road was leading down the mountain side to the town..
     Suddenly, the ass refused to follow the direction of his master. He chose his own path.   He wanted to jump over the edge of the nearest cliff to reach the place. To him, it was the quickest way to reach the town.
     Just as he was about to leap over, his master caught its tail. He tried to pull him back. But the ass was too stubborn and strong to yield to its master. He pulled with all his might. Instead he pulled the farmer along.
     The master was not able to pull him back. In desperation, the farmer said, “Well…..go your way. Your silly beast and see where it leads you to.”
     Thus he let go of the ass. The foolish Ass tumbled head over heels down the mountain side.

Those who refuse to listen to the good and wise advice of others are on the road to disaster.

Tell your own story about "The Ass and his driver".

Original version
An Ass was being driven along a road leading down the mountain side, when he suddenly took it into his silly head to choose his own path. He could see his stall at the foot of the mountain, and to him the quickest way down seemed to be over the edge of the nearest cliff. Just as he was about to leap over, his master caught him by the tail and tried to pull him back, but the stubborn Ass would not yield and pulled with all his might.
"Very well," said his master, "go your way, you willful beast, and see where it leads you."
With that he let go, and the foolish Ass tumbled head over heels down the mountain side.

Those who will not listen to reason but stubbornly go their own way against the friendly advice of those who are wiser than they, are on the road to misfortune.